The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Friday, April 24, 2015

Vatican City, 24 April 2015 (VIS) –
This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace the Holy Father Francis
received in audience the president of the Czech Republic, Milos
Zeman, who subsequently met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher,
secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, which
took place on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the restoration of
diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the then-Czech and
Slovak Federative Republic, which took place on 19 April 1990, mutual
willingness to strengthen the good bilateral relations was confirmed,
along with the hope of concluding negotiations with a view to
stipulating a bilateral Agreement. The Parties expressed their wish
to further develop cooperation between Church and State in sectors of
mutual interest, especially in culture, education and social welfare,
for the benefit of the entire nation.

Attention then turned to the current
international context, with special attention to the situation of
Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.

Vatican City, 24 April 2015 (VIS) –
Today Pope Francis received in audience the bishops of Lesotho and
Namibia, “lands known for their flourishing Christian faith”, at
the end of the “ad Limina” visit. In the written discourse he
handed to the prelates, the Pope recalled the labours and sacrifices
of many missionaries, who were supported by generations of indigenous
companions in lands which have often presented great challenges, both
environmental and social, but which are known for their churches and
chapels, parishes, mission stations and outstations, “which draw
many to a community life centred on prayer and work”.

“Renowned too are your numerous
schools at every level, your clinics and hospitals, built with love
and faithfulness from the materials of Namibia’s soil and Lesotho’s
mountains. I encourage you to continue supporting and nurturing these
great blessings, even when resources are sparse, for the Lord
promises that he will not fail to bless us”.

He continued, “I know that your
communities face many challenges daily, and I am sure that this
weighs heavily on your hearts. Strengthen them in love to overcome
selfishness in private or public life; be generous in bringing them
the tenderness of Christ where threats to human life occur, from the
womb to old age – and I think particularly of those suffering with
HIV and AIDS”. He encouraged them to “not only win them to the
cause of Christ but also make them protagonists of a renewed African
society”.

The Pope goes on to mention Christian
families that are fragmented due to employment far away from home, or
because of separation or divorce and urged the bishops to continue
offering them help and guidance, preparing couples for Christian
marriage, and constantly sustaining families by offering generously
the Church’s Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of mercy. “I
thank you for your efforts in promoting healthy family life in the
face of distorted views that emerge in contemporary society. … The
family is the best setting for learning and applying the culture of
forgiveness, peace and reconciliation. … From healthy families will
come numerous priestly vocations, families where men have learned to
love inasmuch as they have been unconditionally loved ...having
learned respect, justice, the role of authority expressed by parents
and loving concern”.

“In a time of an apparent decrease in
vocations to the priesthood and to religious life, it is important to
speak openly about the fulfilling and joyful experience of offering
one’s life to Christ”, continues the Holy Father. “For when
your Christian communities are built up by your own continued example
of 'living in truth and joy your priestly commitments, celibacy in
chastity and detachment from material possessions', then vocations to
the priesthood and the consecrated life will most certainly abound”.
He thanks God for “the continued witness and service of so many
communities of religious brothers and sisters who are vital to the
praying heart of the Church, along with the many committed sodalities
and other lay associations of the Church in Lesotho and Namibia”.
He also notes, when developing pastoral plans, in paying careful
spiritual attention to the poorest in society. “I ask you to be
particularly mindful of those most in need in your Churches,
entrusting all your initiatives to God's care”.

Finally, he exhorts the bishops to
“persevere as men of deep and constant prayer, in the way of
Blessed Joseph Gerard, who listened to the promptings of the Holy
Spirit in all matters. Prayer precedes and leads to authentic
evangelisation. As you know from experience, when the Church summons
all Christians to constantly take up anew the task of evangelising
the world, 'she is simply pointing to the source of authentic
personal fulfilment'; that is, she is showing us the path to our
deepest happiness”.

Vatican City, 23 April 2015 (VIS) –
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See permanent observer at the United
Nations, spoke during the Security Council open debate on “Women,
peace security” in New York on 15 April 2015.

“Women are not spared any of the
brutal consequences of war, and are additionally subject to uniquely
degrading and traumatising attacks and long-term consequences”,
said the prelate. “It is only just and reasonable that their voice
should be present and influential in the work of preventing and
resolving violence and war. It is well documented that sexual
violence of many kinds accompanies modern warfare. We all know the
awful litany: women are raped and trafficked, forced into
prostitution to earn a living, and terrorised individually and in
their roles as protectors of their children and other vulnerable
family members. All violence against human life is terrible, but
sexual violence is intended to debase, dehumanise, demoralise – in
a unique way. The consequences are profound and long lasting –
physical as well as psychological”.

The nuncio remarked that this last year
has been notable for the “new and ongoing atrocities involving
sexual violence in various conflicts and by groups such as Boko Haram
and the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Some are
also attacks upon women and girls purely because of the faith they
profess. Although this is of very serious concern today for
Christians, surely this is a matter where our shared human nature,
across all religions and cultures, cries out for common commitment of
members of all faiths and governments, strongly to condemn and
confront such heinous acts, and to step forward to protect those
threatened”.

“It seems that, in the past several
years, there has emerged a greater international consciousness of the
scourge of human trafficking, and even increased responses” he
continued. “It is to be hoped that there will be an ever greater
appreciation of what Pope Francis has called the 'trauma', affecting
both 'body and spirit', of rape as a tool of war. To adapt an
observation made by His Holiness, a two point drop in the stock
market is front page news, while the violation of hundreds or even
thousands of women would go unreported”.

The Holy See delegation therefore
supports the processes identified in successive reports issued by the
Secretary General, as essential for ensuring justice to women
assaulted in conflict: effective investigation and documentation;
consistent and rigorous prosecution; and ongoing investigation and
responsibility regarding the root causes of sexual and other violence
in armed conflict. “We support efforts to bring adequate legal,
medical and social services to the particular women affected, to
witnesses and survivors, and to their family members. Because of the
Catholic Church’s permanent local presence in the areas of the
world most affected by disasters, a network of Catholic institutions
and agencies respond rapidly and effectively to address the
consequence of violence in armed conflict. It is always distressing,
however, to see that some are still promoting the abortion of unborn
children as part of the 'treatment' or response to the attack of
their mothers. This contradicts the peace and security mission of the
United Nations, and proposes to meet violence with more violence”.

Archbishop Auza concluded, “It has
been observed many times at this body, and it is true, that women are
not only victims but also necessary agents and contributors in the
work of preventing and resolving conflicts. Without their
contributions, government, negotiators and civil society groups can
neither understand the problems, nor propose effective solutions.
Moreover, it is important to continue in every Member State the
steady and patient work of achieving structural justice for women in
every sector of society. A proper vision of women’s roles in
society, and an integration of women in every social sector, are
crucial aspects of the prevention of violence”.

- Rev. Fr. Edward C. Malesic as bishop
of Greensburg (area 8,632, population 704,000, Catholics 166,200,
priests 205, permanent deacons 2, religious 350), U.S.A. The
bishop-elect was born in Harrisburg, U.S.A. in 1960, and was ordained
a priest in 1987. He holds a licentiate in canon law from the
Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and has served in a
number of pastoral roles in the diocese of Harrisburg, including
deputy priest, chaplain of the York College and the Millersville
University; auditor; defender of the bond and canonical consultor of
the ecclesiastical tribunal; and adjunct judicial vicar. He is
currently parish priest of the Holy Infant Parish in York Haven, and
judicial vicar. He succeeds Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt, whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching
the age limit has been accepted by the Holy Father.

- Bishop Josef Graf as auxiliary of the
diocese of Regensburg (area 14,665, population 1,712,000, Catholics
1,207,706, priests 953, permanent deacons 108, religious 477),
Germany. The bishop-elect was born in Riedenburg, Germany in 1957 and
was ordained a priest in 1983. He holds as doctorate in theology from
the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served as parish
vicar in Regensburg-Reinhausen. He is currently spiritual director of
the major seminary of Regensburg. In 2007 he was named Chaplain of
His Holiness.

- Msgr. Piergiorgio Bertoldi,
nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio to Burkina Faso and Niger,
at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.

On Thursday, 23 April, the Holy Father
appointed Rev. Fr. Brendan Cahill as bishop of Victoria in Texas
(area 23,573, population 292,229, Catholics 119,600, priests 62,
permanent deacons 39, religious 88), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born
in 1963 in Coral Gables, U.S.A., and was ordained a priest in 1990.
He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical
Gregorian University. He has served in a number of pastoral roles,
including parish vicar, rector of the “St. Mary” seminary in
Houston, archdiocesan director of the Secretariat for Clergy
Formation and Chaplaincy Services, head of the Priests Personnel
Board, and member of the presbyteral council. He is currently vicar
for the clergy of the same diocese. He succeeds Bishop David E.
Fellhauer, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same
diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.